A decision procedure for selecting among proposed automatic analog computer patching systems

Abstract

In the recent literature, a paper1 and a contract report2 indicate that automatic analog computer patching sys tems have become economically and technologically feasible. In anticipation of the development of a variety of proposed patching systems, a specific decision pro cedure is developed for the rational evaluation of com peting automatic analog patching systems. The design procedure described in this paper facilitates selection of the patching system best suited for a partic ular computer and a particular problem class. Sufficient information is abstracted from a typical problem set to determine the number of relays required for (and thus to assign a cost figure to) each possible patching system without requiring the actual design of each system. Nom inally, the best system is that with the lowest cost figure. It is recognized, however, that there are many subjective decisions (e.g., captive vs. free pots) involved in the de sign process that are not quantified in this overall cost figure. This problem is met in part by providing inter mediate information relating to the optimal module size, combinations of proposed systems, etc. to help estab lish some of the sensitivity properties of the optimal system. The procedure is illustrated by applying it to a particu lar case and evaluating a number of alternative switching systems.